Favor the Waiver

CASE STUDY

CHALLENGE

The Methodist University Transplant Institute (America’s 4th busiest) was locked in a battle to be able to acquire the number of organs necessary to keep up with the heavy demand to provide much needed, life-saving transplants. This required receiving a waiver from the Department of Health and Human Services to a pending law that would make 75% fewer organs available in Memphis and west TN. The deadline was fast approaching to influence the government’s decision and the Institute needed to create enough public outcry and support to sway the decision in their favor. A couple of thousand letters could do the trick. With about six (6) weeks until the deadline, they engaged Trust.

APPROACH

Understanding the complexity of this issue we knew first we needed to create a grassroots campaign with a memorable name, a strong case for support, then reach the community on their terms and their turf. We created Favor the Waiver and the tagline Memphians will die from restricted organ supply. A letter of support was developed, thousands of copies made and street teams were dispatched all across Memphis to all events with a critical mass of people to get signatures.

RESULTS

The original goal of 2,000 letters was obliterated. By the deadline, over 15,000 signed letters of support were delivered by FedEx to the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington to impact their decision.